How about Cocoa Marsh....a favorite sponsor for many kids programs in the mid 50's...and so popular in our house...you could buy a pump to squirt the syrup from the jar...it was a lot like my other favorite,Bosco!!!!

We live less than an hour from Hershey, PA and have season passes to the amusement park, so of course I must put in a vote for Hershey's syrup. We prefer the Hershey's Special Dark syrup, which we've never seen anywhere but the Hersheypark chocolate shops and Hershey's Chocolate World. If you like dark chocolate and ever happen to find yourself in Hershey or see the Special Dark syrup someplace else, I highly recommend it.

Nostalgia aside,I think the Hershey syrup in the can,flavor wise, is my favorite. I remember using a can opener to put a hole in the can to get to that delicious flavor...Hershey chocolate is a distinct flavor no one else can match!!!!

Of the three offered brands, I think I would go with Hershey's as it is an iconic American brand. Who knows, perhaps someday your grandson will be taking his children to Hershey Park and fondly recalling how he and his grandfather used to drink the very same stuff on their hikes.

Then there is Bosco, a slightly less famous American brand. In this vision of the future, perhaps your grandson will be showing his children Hitchcock's movie Psycho and as the blood drips down the drain, he can declare, "See that stuff, it isn't blood it's really Bosco, my demented grandfather used to make me drink it all the time!"

The third vision of the future is very cloudy, but involves your grandson claiming to his incredulous children, "Really, America used to be a rich nation and made all kinds of things until the people started buying everything from foreign corporations..."

Well, I have taken off my swami hat, but I do think it is funny how seemingly inconsequential decisions can play out over time.

Disclaimer: I have a very poor track record as a swami, but I do like to wear my swami hat. I am sure in the end, what your grandson will remember are those glorious walks with his grandfather and not remember the hot chocolate at all.

Fox's U-Bet, the only syrup for real egg creams, also great on ice cream and in milk.

I would have said, Fox's-U-Bet as my first choice but, it wasn't listed.

As a side note: Fox's makes two type of syrups. One, which you can buy easily enough,"over the counter". And, one for institutional (soda fountains) use which is, thicker and better for fountain drinks like chocolate egg creams.

no, it's (Little Orphan) Annie's secret message, to her listeners. Ralphie needed the decoder ring to get the message. Remember, Annie's message was available to "only members of Annie's Secret Society."

no, it's (Little Orphan) Annie's secret message, to her listeners. Ralphie needed the decoder ring to get the message. Remember, Annie's message was available to "only members of Annie's Secret Society."

why bosco, of course. (this is also the name of my dog)but bosco is hard to come by around here, so i usually go for u-bet.i really enjoy a squirt of u-bet and a squirt of coffee flavored eclipse syrup in milk, for a wonderful mocha milk

For chocolate milk or hot cocoa, never Hershey's; it's too thick. Great for topping ice cream, though. The maltiness of Ovaltine was always nice (especially if you buy the European version; a much stronger malt taste than the American version). Another old favorite (but rather difficult to find in the States) is Suchard Express. Here's a site that has it and a wonderfully choppy English translation: http://www.marinamarket.c....asp?a=6&id=106725